Medical Marijuana Pill May Ease MS Symptoms

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – There is little evidence that most complementary or alternative medicine therapies (CAM) treat symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, a new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology states the CAM therapies oral cannabis, or medical marijuana pills, and oral medical marijuana spray may ease spasticity symptoms and frequent urination in MS.

The guideline looked at unconventional therapies used in addition to or instead of doctor-recommended therapies, and found that certain forms of medical marijuana, in pill or oral spray, may help reduce patients’ spasticity, pain due to spasticity, and frequent urination, but not loss of bladder control. Long-term safety of medical marijuana use in pill or oral spray is unknown. Most of the studies are short, lasting six to 15 weeks. Medical marijuana in pill or oral spray may cause side effects such as seizures, dizziness, thinking and memory problems, and depression.

“Using different CAM therapies is common in 33 to 80 percent of people with MS, particularly those who are female, have higher education levels and report poorer health,” guideline lead author Vijayshree Yadav, MD, MCR, with Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, was quoted as saying. “People with MS should let their doctors know what types of these therapies they are taking, or thinking about taking.”